The Story:
Having just graduated from college, I get to look back at all the roommates I’ve had over the years. Since I moved at least once a year I shared a roof with 25 girls total. Some have become my best friends, some have been forgotten and some were borderline insane.
One of my most talented, beautiful and endearing roommates asked me this:
“Lizzy, what’s the difference between cinnamon sugar and brown sugar?”
My dear Whitley, I hope I’ve taught you well.
Chocolate Brown Sugar Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake:
- 1 box devil's food cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 C. oil or melted butter cooled
- 3/4 C. buttermilk
- 1/2 C. sour cream
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Brown Sugar Frosting:
- 1 C. butter softened (not melted)
- 1/3 C. brown sugar packed (make sure there are no rock-hard chunks)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3-4 C. powdered sugar
Chocolate flakes or brown sugar to decorate
Instructions
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners.
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2. Sift cake mix into a small bowl to remove lumps and set aside.
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3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, buttermilk, sour cream and vanilla extract until smooth.
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4. Stir in cake mix.
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5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 17-22 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
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6. Let cool.
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7. Frosting: Beat butter and brown sugar for 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract and slowly add in powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. If it becomes too thick, add 1 Tbsp. milk.
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8. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and decorate with chocolate shavings or brown sugar.
PS: Happy Birthday to my father! The man may be old but he’s still kickin’! Check out his favorite cupcake recipe, which is also one of my most popular.
These look like they’re to die for! Yum!
haha cute story! those look really good! they remind me of your chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes.
As one of those old roomies who still reads your blog, I hope I don’t fall into the crazy category! Haha. I still don’t bake, but I love admiring the fact that you do! These look delicious. 🙂
Jessica! I didn’t know you read my blog! But my favorite memory of you was before I even met you! I peeked my head into your room freshman year to see if I could get a sense for who you were and all I saw was a skeleton in your room! Miss you!
I made these last night, the flavor is fantastic! The frosting was a little bit grainy from the brown sugar. Is this the normal texture or did I do something wrong? My daughter loves them by the way!
It may be your brand of brown sugar. But you really have to make sure you BEAT your butter and brown sugar together for at least 2 minutes. It breaks down the sugar and really melts it into the butter.
Hmmm, i’ll just have to make some more. Thank you so much! I love your book by the way!
Lizzy………would you please share what brand of cake mix you use? I read it some where but can’t find it!THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Pillsbury is my favorite brand!
Hi lizzy, I have a few questions…i tried the recipe today but it dint come out how I expected
what size of devils food cake mix to use? is it a 8.5oz?
how much cupcakes does this recipe yield? and last
my icing totally dint come out how i expected either….it was kind of runny…and there were sugar grains in them?i know u said to beat for 2 mins so is the icing supposed to be smooth or should I expect some suagr grains in there?
thanks much
ash
The standard box size is about 15 ounces, so it yields 20-24 cupcakes. If your frosting was runny, add more powdered sugar. Depending on your brands and where you live you have to add more or less powdered sugar to get the right thickness. With the grainy-ness, just keep beating the frosting and even after you finish beating the sugar will melt into the butter with a little time. Hope that helps!
thanks Lizzy for the tips! I will make another attempt! I’m from Trinidad in the Caribbean btw!
Hey Lizzy. What’s the difference between Devil’s food cake mix and regular chocolate cake mix?
Devil’s Food just had a richer taste, you can use the regular chocolate or dark chocolate! It’s all personal preference!
What gorgeous cupcakes! I’ve been craving something chocolate-y too!
my family and friends love them, made them three times already by special request. do you have a recipe for chocolate cupcake with coconut butter cream frosting,, with out nutella, thanks
keep them coming love your cupcakes
Yes! Check this recipe out! https://www.yourcupofcake.com/2012/03/chocolate-coconut-cupcakes-2.html
Hi! Would filling these with your frosting recipe for your Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes in your cookbook taste good? I need to make a filling to tint to reveal my sister’s baby’s gender…. 🙂 If that wouldn’t work, do you have a suggestion? I have to convert it to a gluten free recipe too. I made your Red Velvet Cupcakes with the White Mousse and they were raved about at work. 🙂
I would make a mascarpone filling! Here’s a link for the recipe, don’t worry about adding the hazelnut creamer…
https://www.yourcupofcake.com/2013/02/so-what-im-single-cupcakes.html
Thank you so much. I’ll give it a go. I’ve been wanting to try a mascarpone filling. 🙂 Does mascarpone go over well with children typically? I’ve never tried it. The cupcakes are for her students, our staff, and our family. 🙂
Yes! Mascarpone is a fancy cream cheese basically…
Thank you!!!